The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

There’s something about big portions that just clicks in Egypt’s food market. A few names come to mind when thinking of huge servings and Spectra is only one of many. Located in the same building as the Residence Hotel on Road 18 in Maadi, Spectra have gathered a bit of a following especially on weekends and Fridays specifically.

With a warm and cosy interior of dark wooden benches and tables complimented by dim lighting and paintings on the wall, a waiter will greet you at the door and show you to your table. We chose a week night because Spectra have a bit of a reputation when it comes to noise levels and large groups.

We sat at our table and dove into the very extensive menu—seriously; you could actually drift off while reading it. You will notice the price ranges are very decent and, with the large portions, you could actually feed two people with one three-course-meal.

We opted for a Jumbo Combo (49.99LE) from the starters, a mixture of spring rolls, fried mozzarella, chicken strips, and onion rings. From the mains, we chose a Rib-Eye and Salmon Steak (94.5LE) and a Grilled Chicken in Shrimp Sauce (59.99LE).

The great thing about Spectra is that waiting time at the restaurant isn’t very long. To have your food delivered at home is a different story though. So our waiter arrived with the enormous Jumbo Combo platter, we dug into the Spring Rolls first and found them satisfyingly crunchy and tasty, the same goes for the Chicken Strips. The Onions Rings sort of fell apart unfortunately while the fried mozzarella sticks were a little too heavy.

After a surprisingly short wait, our mains arrived. We had asked for the Rib Eye steak to be cooked medium rare, which it was not. Served closer to a medium well, we were not amused. The Salmon on the other hand was much tastier, cooked better and all around a better experience. The dish came with sides of sautéed vegetables and corn on the cob. Both were seasoned nicely with salt, butter and some herbs.

The Grilled Chicken with Shrimp Sauce was also a little disappointing. While the chicken itself was well cooked and tasty, the shrimp sauce contained no shrimp. Instead it had processed crab meat, and in as few words as possible, people shouldn’t eat processed crab meat. The side of Penne Pasta with white sauce was quite filling however and made up for the subpar sauce on the chicken.

If by some miracle you’ve finished all this food and still want more, look no further than the Madness section in the desserts. Cheesecake, biscuits, cake and ice cream mushed together in a bowl and topped with your favourite fruits or Oreos ranging between (22.99LE-26.99LE).

To be honest, no part of the food wowed us. But this is what we meant by large portions are a sure way to gain popularity in Egypt. People are very willing to lessen their standards for more food.